


A Glass of Apple Juice and a Glass of Lemonade

by Snow



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Community: thegameison_sh, Gen, John and Sherlock being friends, Mycroft being clueless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-01
Updated: 2011-02-01
Packaged: 2017-10-15 06:57:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/158238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It isn't unusual, by this point, for John to come home from whatever job he hasn't gotten himself fired from for erratic hours to find Mycroft and Sherlock sitting in their flat, engaged in what neither of them would ever admit is a staring contest (though it could hardly be mistaken for anything else).</p><p>This time, though, Sherlock glances at John as if to say 'thank god you're home' rather than 'took you long enough' and Mycroft's look says 'if you'll just hear me out, you'll understand' rather than 'could you please make Sherlock be reasonable'.  Neither look is at all reassuring, but reassuring isn't precisely the province of the Holmes brothers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Glass of Apple Juice and a Glass of Lemonade

It isn't unusual, by this point, for John to come home from whatever job he hasn't gotten himself fired from for erratic hours to find Mycroft and Sherlock sitting in their flat, engaged in what neither of them would ever admit is a staring contest (though it could hardly be mistaken for anything else).

This time, though, Sherlock glances at John as if to say 'thank god you're home' rather than 'took you long enough' and Mycroft's look says 'if you'll just hear me out, you'll understand' rather than 'could you please make Sherlock be reasonable'. Neither look is at all reassuring, but reassuring isn't precisely the province of the Holmes brothers.

"Think of it as a gift," Mycroft says eventually.

"You shouldn't have," Sherlock replies, flatly and immediately.

"You needn't worry about John," Mycroft continues, as if Sherlock had never spoken. "I can take care of your half of the rent until such time as he finds a suitable replacement for you."

John turns to look at Sherlock. He can't help feeling a little betrayed. "You're moving out?"

"He's moving _in_ ," Mycroft says. "Somewhere new. Better. More suited to him. You don't have the _space_ you want, here. You could have a place with your very own laboratory. It'd be safer too."

"I don't care about _safe_ ," Sherlock snaps, and that's never going to be a good argument to use on his older brother, even if Mycroft and Sherlock's relationship is unusual they still _have_ a relationship.

"Well I'd rather you didn't blow yourself up, and I'm sure John would prefer to be able to store actual _food_ in his refrigerator."

"Wait a second," John replies, not able to stand the way Sherlock's face goes stiff and the way he uses his annoyance at his brother to cover actual hurt. "I've never said anything negative about Sherlock's habits, and certainly not to you."

"You don't have to," Mycroft replies. "You've already indicated that you'd be uncomfortable bringing a date back to your own apartment for fear that Sherlock would make her feel awkward, and you've given up on buying enough milk, even though you're not remotely sure why what you does buy keeps going missing. I don't have to be _Sherlock_ to see that."

"You've got it wrong," John says, softly.

Sherlock sighs. "You don't have to lie for me."

John doesn't think that particularly worthy of a response, actually, so he doesn't give one, besides an exasperated sigh. Both the Holmes brothers can be such _idiots_ , when they put their minds to it. "Look, Sherlock, I would understand if you needed more space, and your brother or your father was willing to pay for it and so you decided you didn't want me around anymore. But since that's _not_ the case, I'm more than a little hurt that you think I'd actually put up with things that annoy me without ever saying a word if I didn't also get something out of the deal. If you want to stay, by all means, I would love it if you did."

John turns to Mycroft then, letting himself glare at the other man. "Your brother is old enough to decide whether or not he wants a new flat. He doesn't. He _might_ want a new brother-"

"I do," Sherlock says.

"But that's not a decision he gets to make. Pretty much everything else about your relationship, including whether or not he's going to accept your gifts, _is_. Now _please_ , go and don't come back until you're prepared to be less of an idiot. I'm sure your mother would be ashamed."

Mycroft makes a face, but he swivels his umbrella to tap it against the floor, and he's turning to go. "I'll see you tomorrow for lunch, I trust?" he calls back.

"Depends on if I feel like eating tomorrow," Sherlock replies, which John makes a face at, but he supposes it's better than capitulation, and it's certainly better than simply letting Mycroft move him out.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments (by all means including constructive criticism) are welcome.


End file.
